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Google Cellphones

Google's Phone App May Soon Tell You Why Businesses Are Calling (androidpolice.com) 54

Posted by EditorDavid from the psychic-phones-network dept.
Android Police spotted a new "Verified Calls" feature Google appears to be rolling out that tells users why a business is calling before they answer the call: Unlike call screening, which can be initiated by the user on any incoming call, Verified Calls only come from businesses that have gone through Google's approval process. When a call that meets the criteria is placed from an approved business, the user will see the business name and logo, as well as the reason for the call.

Verified Calls require the business to send call information to a secure Google server. That server then pushes the info to the Google phone app on your device

When the actual call is placed, the app checks the caller's info against that stored data in order to verify the call is indeed coming from the business. If everything's legit, the Phone app displays the call as being Verified, and presents the helpful info provided by the business. A few minutes after receiving the call, the information is deleted from Google's server. Verified Calls will be turned on by default, but there should be a setting to opt-out in the Phone app. Although, it doesn't seem to be showing up yet.
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Google's Phone App May Soon Tell You Why Businesses Are Calling More

Google's Phone App May Soon Tell You Why Businesses Are Calling

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  • Rather than let Google get more money for spamming (Score:4, Insightful)

    by bobstreo ( 1320787 ) on Sunday June 28, 2020 @12:43AM (#60236638)

    I'll just stick with the old tried and true, if you're not in my contact list, and don't leave a message, I'm probably not calling you back.

    • Because we need Google in the middle of more of our business.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by MrL0G1C ( 867445 )

        Yeah, it sounded interesting up to the bit where google gets the reason to know the reason for every call. f*** that.

        The system should be a secure message sent direct to the receiving person without 3rd parties sticking their dirty nose in where it's not wanted.

        Maybe have a caller ID v2 where the 1st part is the originating telephone number and the 2nd part is the reason for the call and the name of the caller. Spoofing scammers might love this though.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      I hate voicemail so I disabled it. I'd much rather have better caller ID or they can email.

    • "I'll just stick with the old tried and true, if you're not in my contact list, and don't leave a message, I'm probably not calling you back."

      Same here, albeit I never call back since I never get alerted to the failed call, I don't have 'message leaving' enabled, since I'd never listen to them anyway.

    • kind of reminds me of the phrase the more things change the more they stay the same given that saying anyone that does not identify themselves is someone to not do business with

  • no thanks. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by bloodhawk ( 813939 ) on Sunday June 28, 2020 @12:55AM (#60236666)
    No thanks, Not going to Trust an Advertising company to determine what are legitimate calls. Plenty of good call blocking services out there, if it is not in my contact list it goes to my voicemail and if it is important enough they can leave a message.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by fermion ( 181285 )
      No average person answers any calls that are not in the contact list. Mobile phone companies do a good job of ID spam and fraud.

      This service is purely an extension of the advertisement online service meant to get people to pickup the phone. I can see the promotion copy now. Achieve 1% instead of zero percent call volume.

      The issue is that google is very bad about managing ads which is why everyone has ad blockers and the ads are becoming more intrusive. Ad blockers are present to protect the end us

      • I already have my iPhone 11 set to not block calls that aren't in my contact list, but it sends them directly to voicemail. I can then quickly screen them through the voicemail If the length of the voicemail is 3 seconds or something, I just delete it. This has tremendously cut down on my call problem. Before they had this feature, I was forced to basically send everything to voicemail and sort it out later. Otherwise, the phone rings literally every 10 minutes during the day. I would probably sign up for

      • Oh I do l, but only because I'm trying to beat my previous record of putting spammers on "hold" of 15 minutes

        (Basically you answer the phone, ask them who they are after then say "I'll go get them", put the call on hold and go watch TV. If everyone chose to waste call Centers time in retaliation for them wasting your time, the industry wouldn't last month.)

  • This is useful (Score:5, Insightful)

    by FeelGood314 ( 2516288 ) on Sunday June 28, 2020 @01:01AM (#60236674)
    But I think we should be worried where it leads to. Eventually people will block all calls that don't come from their contacts or that aren't google verified. At that point google's wall protecting their ads will get even higher. Every company will have to register with google. We have had years to come up with an actual better solution to spam calls. It is a little disturbing that google might be the one with the solution.

    Remember and tell others: You are not google's customer, you are their product

    • That cliche quote is false. I am their customer too, I use services they provide. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

      • You are their product, they don't make money from you, they make their money selling access to you and information about you. You are a necessary inconvenience to them is all. calling yourself a customer is like the milking cow calling the farmer his customer.

        • Dude, I am getting a search engine service from them and unlike I cow I am not being forced into anything. I'll go further and state that them selling my info to advertisers helps me learn about things I can purchase and improbe my quality of life. I am their customer twice --once using their search engine in exchange of some info about me and second by them informing me of useful services. I'm voluntarily exchanging items of mine in order to get products and services from them. It's basically bartering. I'

          • the search engine is just the grain they are feeding you while they milk you. Sadly delusional cows like you are why they are so successful at being such bastards.
          • You have obviously never been to a dairy farm. The Cow doesn't think it is being forced into anything either, it is just there for the free food.

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by ytene ( 4376651 )
              You're projecting.

              The average lifespan of a cow that just lives in a field and is *not* intensively farmed is about 35 years.

              Average life of a dairy cow that is milked twice a day? Well, it depends on country, but between 5 and 7 years.

            • Uh, so? Whenever you buy something you are being ripped off and used by that definition. The cow doesn't know it's going to be killed and eaten, I am aware Google is selling my info to advertisers etc. What cow read terms and conditions?

              • you are the one trying to justify to yourself that you are not googles product. No this is not the same arrangement for everything you buy at all, for most businesses you are a customer.
        • Google Fiber.
      • It's not meant to be taken literally, it refers to any manufacturers of dairy products. It's a parable.
        In other words, they make money by selling access to you, and so in that sense you are the "product" and the people who give them actual money are the "customers". From their point of view you using their services is simply part of their product manufacturing process.
    • It's either that or spammers register with Google and come through as "verified".

    • So... all ads come from a single source that is easy to block due to being a single source?

      Where do I sign up?

    • "But I think we should be worried where it leads to. Eventually people will block all calls that don't come from their contacts ..."

      It's a bit late for that.

  • Do I need Google to know more about by business? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by haus ( 129916 ) on Sunday June 28, 2020 @01:31AM (#60236710) Journal

    No.

    I cannot think why I would want Google to get even further involved between me and the groups that I do business with. They sure as heck are not doing it to make things better for me, they are doing it to know more about me so they can make more money on selling me to advertisers.

    No thanks.

  • On the surface, this looks like a good thing. But think of what a) information and b) power this gives them!

    "Your doctor is trying to reach you regarding that COVID-19 test/AIDS test/diabetes test." and 10 Minutes later "Your health insurer is trying to reach you about cancelling your policy."

    • Your health insurer is trying to reach you about cancelling your policy.

      This is illegal in all first-world countries. The US finally outlawed that in 2014.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by gweihir ( 88907 )

        Your health insurer is trying to reach you about cancelling your policy.

        This is illegal in all first-world countries. The US finally outlawed that in 2014.

        I am aware. I used hyperbole to make my point.

        They need to do this much more sneakily, but it basically can still be done. Unless and until they have to disclose all sources of information, completely open their decision making and prove all claims as to information sources and what information they got there, they can do this. They can also restrict this to additional insurance or they can do it just when claims arrive. Also think of credit ratings, for example for a non-medical application.

        • Huh? What are you talking about? Insurance is handled through government exchanges and the information and pricing is regulated by the government.

      • But they didn't cancel you for that test, it was a completely unrelated issue, you were late on your payments by 2 days 3 years ago and that caught up to you now.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by gweihir ( 88907 )

          Indeed. Must have been some low-level pencil pusher screwing up, but they are on the ball now and giving you what you deserve.

    • So they want to take over the phone system too?

      Well, of course! Android is a phone operating system. Specifically, it's a phone operating system that dominates the market. Google has been trying to take over the phone system for years!

  • Why is it legal for a business to call you when they haven't got any contract or anything with you?

    And why would I, to prevent some nasty data kraken from abusing my privacy to manipulate me, use another, bigger data kraken, that will abuse my privacy to let others manipulate me? Have they somehow missed that they are an ad company, or do they think we are so stupid that we think they aren't?

  • Well, that is an excellent idea. No business should be able to make calls unless Google Approves.

    (sarcasm intended)

  • I am receiving spam calls with obviously spoofed numbers every day.

    • I am receiving spam calls with obviously spoofed numbers every day.

      I've received spam emails from myself, but so far no spam calls from myself :-)

  • Android 10 has on-device natural speech recognition. The business should call your phone, get sent to voice prompts where they explain who they are and what they want, then your phone tells you and you have the chance to reject the call. It only ties up your phone for a few seconds, and most of us have unlimited calling now so it doesn't "use up" any "minutes". Instead, Google wants to receive your calls for you, and know what they're about? That's only massively invasive...

    • >"Android 10 has on-device natural speech recognition. The business should call your phone, get sent to voice prompts where they explain who they are and what they want, then your phone tells you and you have the chance to reject the call. It only ties up your phone for a few seconds, and most of us have unlimited calling now so it doesn't "use up" any "minutes". Instead, Google wants to receive your calls for you, and know what they're about? That's only massively invasive..."

      Exactly. Everything has to

      • >"The only valid remaining reason that voicemail should be on the device, is for those times when you are off the network (out of range, or device/radio is off)."

        Typo, I meant to say "should NOT be on the device." Probably obvious by context.

  • I guess I can assume that since I am on both the federal and state of Colorado do not call lists, then none of these verified calls will be allowed through to my phone since Google will undoubtedly verify that these verified callers are honoring the do not call lists, you know, just like all the foreign based junk call robo callers.

  • why (Score:1)

    by gary s ( 5206985 )
    How about a button to say stop calling me. If I need something, Ill call you

  • Thanks but not thanks. Sure as it rains in Seattle, in a short time, Google will move their"preferred" advertisers to the front of the queue and refuse to screen those calls. Instead of "XYZ is on the line wanting sell you erection medication", the message will be: "Good news! It's your mom!"

  • Really. I think it would be very useful if people had the possibility to not only either send their number, or withhold their number, but also to send their number with more details. For example, I made an insurance claim, and shortly afterwards got a call from a number I didn't know - would have helped if my phone could display who exactly that number is (claims department at XYZ insurance).

    The two problems to solve: 1. Avoid faking the data. In my example, only that insurance knew that I was waiting fo

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